Now, two days after he was released by the salary-cap-strapped Steelers, the linebacker is one of the first names being mentioned on Browns fans' free-agent wish lists.

Harrison, who will turn 35 on May 4, also presents a dilemma for any bad NFL team that is trying to balance winning now with building for the future.

The guess here is the Joe Banner-led Browns won't show much interest in a 34-year-old linebacker who was limited by a knee injury for much of last season.

From a business perspective, however, signing Harrison would make some sense.

The Akron native would make an immediate impact on a team desperate for help in its front seven, and he likely wouldn't command more than $5 million per season (Harrison was due to make $6.57 million with the Steelers in 2013).

Harrison also doesn't have as much wear and tear as a typical 34-year-old NFL veteran.

He was cut three times by the Steelers and once by the Ravens in 2002 and '03 before finally sticking with Pittsburgh in 2004. He also spent his first three seasons with the Steelers primarily as a special-teamer and backup.

His first full season as a regular in the Steelers' lineup was 2007 — six years after his final game at Kent State.

Harrison's six sacks last season were his worst total since he became a starter in Pittsburgh, but once he recovered from his knee injury, he showed signs of his former self.

In Pittsburgh's last seven games, Harrison had 45 tackles, five sacks and two forced fumbles.

Those numbers are on par with his stats since 2007 (60 sacks in 87 games).

If he's willing to sign for, say, two years and $10 million, that would make sense for the Browns.

He would be a short-term fix who wouldn't hamper the salary cap in future years.

But if the Browns were to have any interest, would Harrison choose to come home and play for a team that likely wouldn't be a contender during his tenure?

Two more entertaining aspects of free agency: The agents planting rumors to drum up interest in their clients and, in the case of Parise, saying every team would be the ideal landing spot.

Another ailment for Irving

I love Kyrie Irving. He's a franchise player, already an All-Star and one of the top 15 players in the NBA.

But he seems more prone to injury than you would expect for someone who is 12 days from his 21st birthday.

Irving missed 15 of the Cavaliers' 66 games in the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season. This year, he has played in 49 of the Cavs' 63 games, and his latest ailment is a left shoulder sprain he suffered in the second half of Cleveland's loss Sunday at Toronto.

In his lone season at Duke, Irving missed 26 of 37 games because of a foot injury.

In the last three seasons, Irving's teams have played a total of 166 games. He has participated in 111 of them (66.9%).

The majority of Irving's ailments have been minor, but they do add up.

The Cavs aren't concerned, or at least they won't say so publicly.

Are you?

Afternoon update: Irving will miss three to four weeks with the shoulder injury, which if nothing else, will cement the Cavs' place in the top five of the draft for a third consecutive season. Entering Monday's games, Cleveland has the league's fourth-worst record at 21-42, though the Kings (22-43), Hornets (22-42), Suns (22-41), Pistons (23-42), Timberwolves (21-39) and 76ers (23-39) are in hot pursuit.

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